Corrections officer charged with felony menacing

GOUVERNEUR  A state corrections officer was arrested Sunday on felony menacing charges after allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

State police arrested Ryan M. Kulp, 30, of 385 Little Bow Road, Gouverneur, and charged him with third-degree menacing, a class E felony, second-degree menacing, criminal obstruction of breathing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all class A misdemeanors.

According to Acting Senior Investigator Timothy J. Peets, Mr. Kulps former girlfriend, Teyanna M. Dagostino, 22, filed a complaint with state police that she had attempted to retrieve some of her belongings from her home Sunday, after breaking up with Mr. Kulp.

He was home and she was scared, Investigator Peets said. About a month earlier, they separated but stayed in contact.

Two weeks before the complaint, Ms. Dagostino decided to move back in with Mr. Kulp, Investigator Peets said. There was a physical altercation shortly thereafter, and Ms. Dagostino reported to police that Mr. Kulp had pulled a gun on her and that she had feared for her life.

He grabbed her by the throat and tried to choke her, Investigator Peets said. She asked him to stop and told him that she couldnt breathe.

On Sunday, Ms. Dagostino found that a coffee table she went to retrieve had been destroyed. She then filed the complaint at the Gouverneur station.

Hired by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision on Dec. 20, 2004, Mr. Kulp was transferred to Ogdensburg Correctional Facility in March 2013 from Adirondack Correctional Facility.

Mr. Kulp was suspended without pay on Monday, corrections officials reported Tuesday. It was reported that Mr. Kulp has a base salary of $57,496.

Upon Mr. Kulps arrest, police seized a rifle and a shotgun. He was arraigned in Gouverneur Town Court, where he was released on $2,500 cash bail into the custody of his mother.

A stay-away order of protection was issued in favor of Ms. Dagostino. Mr. Kulp was issued tickets returnable to Gouverneur Town Court at 3 p.m. on Oct. 17.

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